our best 22 come the start of 2014?

[Jay-Z]

Yep, that is probably how it will play out.

I just wonder thought if a few of our "young guns" (making the Wrights, Jmac, McKenzies etc seem old and they are also young!) go past them quickly. No, before anyone says I am "hating" them as they are solid players but I just have a feeling we have some special talents who might progress quickly - like Mullett did, Black has and Atley earlier.

Might be wrong, plus structure of team and opposition means there is only so many spots so I reckon your team is closer than mine.

The thing with doing 22s at this time of year is that everybody picks a couple of players to improve but rarely picks anyone to drop off / stagnate (like Harper, Wright did this year), it's nice to think all our young guns will improve year on year but who knows! I probably tend to put more faith in older players than most on this board but that's just my opinion.

 

[Saintly31]

The thing with doing 22s at this time of year is that everybody picks a couple of players to improve but rarely picks anyone to drop off / stagnate (like Harper, Wright did this year), it's nice to think all our young guns will improve year on year but who knows! I probably tend to put more faith in older players than most on this board but that's just my opinion.

I agree there for sure, I for one was sticking up for Spud all year when he was being absolutely hammered, yet whilst a few bad games that he had it was way out of context (compared to younger guys who float through)

McMahon used to be a favourite no doubt - i'm just not sure his lack of height and now lack of speed might catch up with him - hope i'm wrong, as I really respect his work at his best. Spud likewise, although I think his combo of strength and endurance to defend tall (not agile types) mean he still has a role to play, but it really does depend on match ups too.

Yep, who knows on the younger players. I'm just keen on McDonald and Garner (and Wood if he can get over injury asap) to play a role in the 1s. Rate all three of them to do more that those who have played 40 or so solid but not quality games. Like you, just my opinion also.

 

[WWSD]

B: Lachlan Hansen, Scott Thompson, Scott McMahon


HB: Aaron Mullett, Nathan Grima, Shaun Atley


C: Ryan Bastinac, Jack Ziebell, Daniel Wells


HF: Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Leigh Adams


F: Lindsay Thomas, Aaron Black, Robin Nahas


R: Todd Goldstein, Andrew Swallow, Nick Dal Santo


INT: Ben Cunnington, Levi Greenwood, Sam Gibson, Jamie MacMillan (Sub)


EMG: Brad McKenzie, Liam Anthony, Taylor Hine

 

[GarnerSmash]

Locks: Thompson, Atley, Mullet, Wells, Harvey, Ziebell. Bastinac, Cunnington, Dal Santo, Hansen, Black, Swallow, Goldstein

The rest of the spots are up for grabs.

Petrie? Thomas? No love for our leading goal kickers yet Black is a lock?

I'd also add a fit Grima to that list.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

Petrie? Thomas? No love for our leading goal kickers yet Black is a lock?

I'd also add a fit Grima to that list.

Nup. Not Grima... But the other two, certainly.

That is 14 locks, which is pretty damn good.

IMO only one of Firitto, Grima & C.D can play if Hansen & Thompson are fit.

 

[WesternRoo]

Nathan Grima is an absolute lock.
The backline is a far lesser place without him.

 

[The Chiefton]

This is purely for round one.

B: Shaun Atley, Scott Thompson, Nathan Grima
HB: Jamie Macmillan, Lachie Hansen, Aaron Mullett
C: Ryan Bastinac, Ben Cunnington, Nick Dal Santo
HF: Brent Harvey, Robbie Tarrant, Sam Wright
F: Aaron Black, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas
R: Todd Goldstein, Jack Ziebell, Daniel Wells

I: Sam Gibson, Levi Greenwood, Robin Nahas, Luke McDonald

E: Leigh Adams, Brad McKenzie, Ben Jacobs.

Rather than sit back and be too scared to post, I thought I'd start participating/contributing in more threads, not only because I'm becoming more and more comfortable doing so, I'm sure that seeing TC's name post, makes you all feel a little better

Louise, TC & baby Roolivia.

xx

 

[Twinkletoes]

^^^^^^^ Brilliant

 

[Winter]

Finding this easier than any other pre-season in years, great sign!

Out: Swallow

B: Macmahon, Thompson, Grima
HB: Mullet, Hansen, McDonald
C: Atley, Ziebell, Dal Santo
HF: Bastinac, Tarrant, Harvey
F: Thomas, Petrie, Black
R: Goldstein, Cunnington, Wells
IC: Gibson, Macmillan, Adams
S: McKenzie

- McKenzie, Jacobs, Garner and Harper pushing for the sub role.
- Greenwood a chance to come in for Swallow, but sense that Cunnington & Ziebell will cover the clearance requirements.
- Firrito and Macmahon fighting for the same BP spot.

 

[the big lebowski]

How about a 25 for our nab cup match against the blues

B. Delaney. Tippet McMahon

HB. McDonald. Hansen. McMillan

C. Bastinac. Jacobs. Atley

HF. Adams. Tazz. LT

F. Nahas. Brown. Wallace

R. Currie. Greenwood. Dumont

Interchange Anthony. Harper. Wilkins. Spud. Turner

Exciting

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Finding this easier than any other pre-season in years, great sign!

Out: Swallow

B: Macmahon, Thompson, Grima
HB: Mullet, Hansen, McDonald
C: Atley, Ziebell, Dal Santo
HF: Bastinac, Tarrant, Harvey
F: Thomas, Petrie, Black
R: Goldstein, Cunnington, Wells
IC: Gibson, Macmillan, Adams
S: McKenzie

- McKenzie, Jacobs, Garner and Harper pushing for the sub role.
- Greenwood a chance to come in for Swallow, but sense that Cunnington & Ziebell will cover the clearance requirements.
- Firrito and Macmahon fighting for the same BP spot.

Delicious.

 

[the big lebowski]

Oops forgot wood. Him too.

 

[the big lebowski]

Oh and mckenzie and garner. Them too.

 

[guapo]

This is purely for round one.

B: Shaun Atley, Scott Thompson, Nathan Grima
HB: Jamie Macmillan, Lachie Hansen, Aaron Mullett
C: Ryan Bastinac, Ben Cunnington, Nick Dal Santo
HF: Brent Harvey, Robbie Tarrant, Sam Wright
F: Aaron Black, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas
R: Todd Goldstein, Jack Ziebell, Daniel Wells

I: Sam Gibson, Levi Greenwood, Robin Nahas, Luke McDonald

E: Leigh Adams, Brad McKenzie, Ben Jacobs.

Rather than sit back and be too scared to post, I thought I'd start participating/contributing in more threads, not only because I'm becoming more and more comfortable doing so, I'm sure that seeing TC's name post, makes you all feel a little better

Louise, TC & baby Roolivia.

xx

In : Patch and B-Mac
Out : Levi and Robin

All the best with that bombres....

 

[Jay-Z]

Finding this easier than any other pre-season in years, great sign!

Out: Swallow

B: Macmahon, Thompson, Grima
HB: Mullet, Hansen, McDonald
C: Atley, Ziebell, Dal Santo
HF: Bastinac, Tarrant, Harvey
F: Thomas, Petrie, Black
R: Goldstein, Cunnington, Wells
IC: Gibson, Macmillan, Adams
S: McKenzie

- McKenzie, Jacobs, Garner and Harper pushing for the sub role.
- Greenwood a chance to come in for Swallow, but sense that Cunnington & Ziebell will cover the clearance requirements.
- Firrito and Macmahon fighting for the same BP spot.

Great team!

 

[Daz]

McKenzie will step up in a big way this year.

 

[Saintly31]

McKenzie will step up in a big way this year.

Which position? (just asking) HBF or more wing/mid? Other? His lack of pace and intensity worries me a bit, but i'm going on very limited vision...

Nup. Not Grima... But the other two, certainly.

Agree with that.

Been a huge fan of Grima (especially being Tassie) but then his 2012 was good, his 2013 was just ok. He is a great spoiler no doubt, but the rest of his game seemed to decline rapidly.

Nutshell, he is best 22 when fit no question but would not want to decline any further. Spud and Loose are smaller yes, but they may just come back. Especially with Thommo and if Hansen is going well, only so many spots. (and CDelaney is on the rise as another option, Tippett, well, who knows).

 

[Daz]

Which position? (just asking) HBF or more wing/mid? Other? His lack of pace and intensity worries me a bit, but i'm going on very limited vision..

Wing/half forward. His lack of pace would be exposed more so in defence.

He'll be fit enough to consistently impact games now. The physical side of the game has been the only thing holding him back. He has smarts and skill in spades.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

Which position? (just asking) HBF or more wing/mid? Other? His lack of pace and intensity worries me a bit, but i'm going on very limited vision...



Agree with that.

Been a huge fan of Grima (especially being Tassie) but then his 2012 was good, his 2013 was just ok. He is a great spoiler no doubt, but the rest of his game seemed to decline rapidly.

Nutshell, he is best 22 when fit no question but would not want to decline any further. Spud and Loose are smaller yes, but they may just come back. Especially with Thommo and if Hansen is going well, only so many spots. (and CDelaney is on the rise as another option, Tippett, well, who knows).

McKenzie is the one we want on his own on a wing in space, he is just deadly... We have enough grunt & ball winners, he needs only an iota of space and 10-15 touches to tear teams apart.
He isn't a bad tackler, and with some added bulk and fitness (only his 2nd preseason) I'm sure that will come.

As for defence; we surely can't play Thompson, Hansen, Firitto & Grima in the same team - in any back 6 compilation I have thought of looks a bit soft IMO without spud. We lack an enforcer.

 

[B4Bear]

It would not suprise me if Spud played very few games. Let's face it, he had a pretty average year.

I think he will be used more in a mentoring role than as one of the locked in starting 22.

Been a great player for the club, but it is time to pass the torch to one of the new brigade.

And I still want to see Atley stay at half back. Some of his runs this year were sublime. You can not have enough rebounding defenders that leave a trail of despair in their wake.

 

[Roopassion]

McKenzie is the one we want on his own on a wing in space, he is just deadly... We have enough grunt & ball winners, he needs only an iota of space and 10-15 touches to tear teams apart.
He isn't a bad tackler, and with some added bulk and fitness (only his 2nd preseason) I'm sure that will come.

As for defence; we surely can't play Thompson, Hansen, Firitto & Grima in the same team - in any back 6 compilation I have thought of looks a bit soft IMO without spud. We lack an enforcer.

He's marking is also very impressive even contested, he's my tip for the mass improver. Bmac that is.

 

[Roopassion]

Also don't underestimate Wright his start of the season was bad but a few of his games towards the end were good. Just his set shots were well shot.

 

[Saintly31]

Wing/half forward. His lack of pace would be exposed more so in defence.

He'll be fit enough to consistently impact games now. The physical side of the game has been the only thing holding him back. He has smarts and skill in spades.

Ok, that would be right I suspect. I have read quite a lot about him playing off HB but think far more suited to the positions you mention.

The more quality users in the team the better, and there is certainly no doubting that plus he has other top qualities too.

 

[Artaxx]

I think McKenzie looks slower than he is. Haven't seen him run down or beaten to the footy yet and never seen him rushed at all. Has heaps of time. Probably wont fill out until he's 23 or so, but I agree with Daz, I think he'll be a valuable player this year and make big improvements.

 

[the big lebowski]

Yeah bmac looks like a typical 10 game player only with serious foot skills.